Cigar-bunching machine.



No. 744,951. l l PA-TENTED Nov. 24, 190s. H. W. ALBRIGHT. CIGAR BUNGHING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 19, 1903. Y N0 MODEL. .3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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PATBN-TED Nov. 24, 1903.

' H. W. ALBRIGHT. GIGAR BUNGHING MACHINE.

v4APPLICATION FILED MAY 19. 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

/NVENTQR A om ya No. 744,951. PATENTED NOV. 24, 1908.,

H. W. ALBRIGHT'. CIGAB. BUNGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 19, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2V,

Ii; A Altorneys ivo; 744,951.

irnn- @marne Patented November 24, 1903 arnnr twine@ HARRY XY. ALBRIGHT, OF YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO BENJAMIN P. TINAN AND CHARLES P. YOUNG, OF YORK, PENNSYLi VANIA.

cleAa-euncnine MACHINE.

SBECIFYGAEION forming part .of Letters Patent No. 744,951, dated November 24:, 1903.

Application filed May 19,1903.

To a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY W. ALBRIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at York, county of York, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oigar-Bunching Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein 'to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view; Fig. 2, a plan view thereof; Fig. 3, a longitudinal vertical sectional view; Fig. 4, a detail sectional View of a portion of one end of the rotary shaping-drum; Fig. 5, a detail perspective view of one end of the operating-lever, and Fig. 6 a detail of a slightly-varied form of the bed of the shaping-drum.

This invention relates especially to machines for rolling and shaping the bunches preparatory to putting on the Wrappers, this latter operation being done by hand or by machinery, as may be desired; and the object is to providea simple machine that will roll and shape the bunches in such manner as to give them a uniform contour and every appearance of having been shaped entirely by hand, as more fully hereinafter set forth.

In its preferred form the machine consists of a rotary cylinder adapted to be intermittently rotated by the operator and having its periphery entirely inclosed, except a comparatively narrow space across its front, by a stationary bed or casing to form a gradually-restricted shaping-channel, the juxtaposed faces of the cylinder and bed being annularly concaved to give the required contour to the bunches and suitable means being provided for feeding in the partly-shaped bunches and delivering the compacted and 4o shaped bunches. Inoperation the cylinder is rotated forwardly a short distance each time a bunch is to be fed, which action carries the bunch down into the machine and rolls it one `Serial No. 157.8011 (N0 model.)

the machine. ln the preferred form of the machine the rolling and shaping surfaces of the cylinder and bed are made removable, so that other surfaces may be substituted when it is desired to make bunches of other shapes.

The supporting frame consists of two curved side plates a, Whose lower edges are horizontal and are adapted to rest on a suit- Asides of the frames @by thumb-nuts f, threaded on the ends of long transverse bolts g, which extend across the machine and through the side frames. B y removing the said screws f the cylinder may be removed for cleaning or repairing or changing the shaping or rolling surface.

The cylinder consists of the side or end plates d',which are rigidly secured to the shaft d, one near each side bar c. These end plates are formed with inward-extending iianges i on their inner faces near their peripheries, to which is secured the sheet-metal cylinder h. On this cylinder are placed the transverse wooden bars t, which form the rolling and shaping surface of the shap|ing-cyl inder. These bars are removably held in place by the piece of fabric j, which extends around the drum and is permanently and tightly secured thereto, said sheet of fabric being wider than the length of the cigarbunches which it is designed to shape in the machine and covering the greater portion of `the exterior surface of the drum. To further secure these bars in position, nails or screws k (see Figsl 1 and 4) are inserted through small openings in the end plates d and driven into the ends of the bars. These bars fit close together and are inwardly tapered on radial lines, so that the exterior of the drum is a continuons and smooth surface. The bars h are cut ont longitudinally and at about their center to form a molding or shaping surface by which the proper and desired contour is given to the cigars.

The

fabric strip or sheetj covers this cut-out portion of the bars and forms the shaping-bed, the cigar-bunches being gripped and rolled around on the bed of the machine hy this fabric-covered part of the cylinder. It will be readily understood that by placing bars in the drum which are cut out to the desired extent the cigars may be given any desired shape.

To one end of the shaft d is secured a ratchet c', adapted to be engaged 4by a pawl c, which is rigidly secured to a lever 0', said lever being mounted upon the shaft d between the ratchet c and the adjacent side bar c. When. it isdesired to move the shaping-drum, the lever 0 is pulled forward until the drum has been rotated-suliiciently to carry the new bunch down between the shaping-drum and the stationary shaping-bed, as will be hereinafter described.

Pivoted on the rear transverse bar g near each side plate d., is an upward and forward extending side plate p. The side plates rt and theextensions p have their inner edges slightly eccentric to the periphery of the shaping-drum, and secured thereto parallel with said inner edges is a sheet-metal bed d, said bed forming a complete cylinder except for a short open space between the forward ends of the extensionsp and the upper forward ends of the side frames a. The forward ends of extensions p are detachably connected together by means of a long transverse boltp, whichis provided with a thumbnut p. The forward ends of these extensions are supported by means of vertical bars q, whose upper ends are secured in position by the bolt p', their lower ends being adjustably connected to the side bars c by means of the thumb-nuts q. Secured to the interior surface of this bed a are transverse bars a,",the inner su rfaces of which form a stationary shaping-bed, said bed being shaped to correspond with the shape cf the adjacent face of the shaping drum or cylinder. These bars are formed, substantially, as the bars of the shaping-cylinder Aand are secured in position by means of screws or nails Z, which.

are passed through the extension-plates 'p and the side frames et into the ends of the bars. A fabric strip h covers the inner surface of the bars and forms the surface on which the bunches are rolled. The surface lss of this stationary bed is eccentric to the periphery of the shaping-cylinder, so that a gradually restricted shaping-channel is formed between the two shaping-beds, said channel being preferably largest at the entering-point and smallest 4at the exit end, this latter point being at the forward'ends of the extensions p. By means of the vertically-adjustable barsq the size of the shaping-chan nel at the exit end may be varied as desired'by simply raising or lowering said bars on their supports, the eX- tensions p moving on their pivot-rod gto permit this adjustment. Of course it will be understood that the shape of the bars in the stationary bed must correspond to the shape of the bars in the cylinder and that when one of said sets of bars is changed the other must also be changed.

The forward upper ends of the side frames a are connected together by a horizontal table m, whose forward end is extended upward to form, in conjunction with the adjacent portion of the shaping-cylinder, the hopper m, into which the partly-formed bunches are placed, said bunches resting against the front edge of the table and the adjacent face of the shaping-drum. Mounted to reciprocate horizontally Linder this table is a slide m", the forward end of which extends close to the face of the shaping-cylinder and is adapted to support the partly-formed bunch. Connected to this slide is an arm n, whose lower end is rigidly secured to the horizontal transverse rock-shaft n, to one end of which is secured an upward-extending arm 0. Connected to the upper end of this arm o is a rearward-extending rod o, the rear end of which is engaged by the lever 0" when said lever is moved forward. Itis obvious that when the lever c" is moved forward the shaft n will be rocked, the slide fm" moved forward by the arm n, and the bunch which is resting on said slide will be dropped into the mouth or receiving end of the shaping-channel between the stationary bed and the rotary shaping bed or cylinder. A spring fn", connected to the arm n and to a stationary part of the frame, will return the slide to its normal forward position and through the rod o will return the lever 0 to its normal rearward position. The movement of the drum caused by swinging forward the lever 0' will be about sufficient to give the bunch in the shaping-channel one revolution, so that as each bunch is dropped in all the bunches contained in the channel will be rotated until the completely-formed bunches are discharged one at a time at the forward upper end of the shaping-channel.

The ends of a strong bail r are secured in the bars q near their upper ends, said bail aiding in holding the fabric b and bars d" in position. Secured to this bail are the depending spring-ngers s, whose lower ends extend close to the face of the shaping-cylinder and serve to hold the shaped bunches after they are discharged from the shapingchannel Vand until they are removed by the operator.

From the foregoing it will be readily seen that I provide a very simple machine which will effectually shape the cigars, gradually compacting and rolling them until they are discharged from the machine in condition for wrapping. l

In Fig. 6 is shown a slightly-diderent form of cylinder periphery or bed. In this form the bars forming the bed are each provided with an outward-extending rib or projection j', which extends longitudinally of the bars and serves to hold the fabric j slightly awayfrom the outer surface of the bars. v By this IIO means a slightly-yielding bed is formed which will yieldingly grip the bunches and insure the rotation thereof as they are moved through the shaping-channel.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A cigarbunching machine comprising, a rotary shaping-cylinder, having a continuous concentric exterior surface, a stationary shaping-bed inclosing the periphery of said cylinder except for a small portion thereof, the stationary bed being eccentric to the shaping-cylinderand so located as to form a gradually-restricted shaping-channel around the rotary shapingcylinder whereby the bunches will be gradually compressed as they are moved through the shaping-'channel by the shaping-cylinder.

2. A cigar-bunching machine comprising, a rotary shaping-cylinder having a continuous concentric exterior surface and an adjacent stationary shapingbed eccentric to the shaping-cylinder, a channel being formed between the cylinder and the bed, and an entrance to said channel and an exit therefrom.

3. A cigar-bunching machine comprising, a rotary shapingcylinder having a continuons concentric exterior surface, a stationary inclosing shaping-bed eccentric to the shaping-cylinder, a gradually-restricted shapingchannel being formed between the cylinder and the bed, and means for intermittently rotating the shaping-cylinder.

4. A cigar-bunching machine comprising, a rotary shaping-cylinder having a continuous concentric exterior surface, a stationary shaping-bed eccentric to the shaping-cylinder and inclosing the periphery of said cylinder except a small portion thereof, whereby a shaping-channel is formed between said cylinder and the said bed, means for closing the entrance to said shaping-channel, means for intermittently' rotating the shaping-cylinder, and means connecting the rotating means to the shaping-channel closure device whereby the entrance to the shaping-channel will bev opened when the cylinder is rotated.

5. A cigarbunching machine comprising, a rotary shaping-cylinder having a continuous concentric exterior surface, an annular depression therein to receive the cigar-bunch,

a stationary shapingbed eccentric to the shaping-cylinder and inclosing said cylinder except a small portion thereof, an annular depression therein corresponding to the depression in the shaping-cylinder whereby a shaping-channel is formed between said cylinder and the bed, a sliding closure at the entrance to said channel, means for intermittently partially rotating the shapingcylinder, and devices connecting the rotating means to the `closure devices whereby when the cylinder is partly rotated the entrance to the shapingchannel will be opened.

-6. A cigar-bunching machine comprising,

a rotary shaping-cylinder having a continuous concentric exterior surface, a stationary shaping-bed eccentric to and inclosing said cylinder except a small portion thereof at the front of the machine,whereby a shaping-chan nel is formed around the shaping-cylinder the entrance to said channel being at the forward end of the machine, a hopper at said entrance, a sliding plate at the bottom of said hopper said plate forming a closure for the shapingchannel, means for intermittently partially rotating the shapingcylinder, and means connecting the rotating means to the sliding plate whereby the entrance to the shaping-channel will be opened when the shapingcylinder is moved, means for adjustably supporting a portion of the stationary bed at the exit end of the shaping-cylinder whereby the size of said channel at its exit may be varied as desired, and means to prevent the discharged bunches from again passinginto the feed-hopper at the entrance to the shaping-channel.

7. A cigar-bunching machine comprising, a rotary shaping-cylinder an nularly concaved on its exterior, outward-extending ribs formed thereon at suitable distances apart said ribs extending across the face of the cylinder, a flexible and yielding covering for said cylinder, said covering restingon the edges of said ribs, a stationary shaping-bed surrounding the shaping-cylinder except for a small portion at the front of the machine, and means for intermittently rotating the shaping-cylinder.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a cylinder and means for rotating it, a bed adjacent to the cylinder, the latter being provided with transverse ribs j', and a yielding fabric covering over these ribs forthe purpose set forth.

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a cylinder and means for rotating it, a bed adjacent the cylinder, ribs j formed on said cylinder, and a yielding fabric covering around the cylinder and resting on said ribs.

lO. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a cylinder and means for rotating it, a bed adjacent to the cylinder, said bed and cylinder being provided with transverse ribsj', and a yielding fabric covering over the bed and also over' the cylinder and resting on said ribs.

11. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a rotary cylinder and a bed partly inclosing the cylinder thereby forming a shaping-channel with an entrance and an exit, and spring-fingers at the exit for temporarily holding the shaped bunches as they emerge from the shaping-channel.

12. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a cylinder and means for rotating it, a bed partly inclosing the cylinder, forming a shaping-channel having an entrance and an exit, a device for closing the entrance, and means for intermittently open- ICO ing this device as thev cylinder rotates, for

the purpose set forth.

13. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a cylinder and means forrotating it, a bed partlyinclosing the cylinder,

forming a shaping-channel having an en-V cylinder rotates to permit the partly-shaped bunch to be carried into the channel.

l5. In a machine ofthe class described, the combination of a cylinder and means for rotating it, a bed partly inclosing 'the cylinder, forming a shaping-channel, provided With an entrance and an exit, a shaping-hopper at the entrance, a closure device forming the bottom of this hopper, and means for opening the closure device as the cylinder rotates to permit the partly-shaped bunch to be car` ried into the channel.

In testimonylwhereof I hereunto affix my signature, in the presence of two Witnesses, this 16th day of May, 1903.

HARRY W. ALBRIGHT.

W'itnesses:

L. P. GROSS,

CHAs. E. SMITH. 

